Love at First Novel by Gu Lingfei

Kathryn had fought back.

At first, when her adoptive brothers beat her, she resisted with everything she had.

They were older and stronger, but she refused to go down without a fight. She threw anything she could get her hands on at them.

One time, she even grabbed a hatchet and chased them across the village.

They were terrified.

Even when her adoptive mother tried to punish her on their behalf, Kathryn didn't back down-she raised the hatchet and swung at her, too.

Her defiance finally shocked them into submission.

After that, they never dared to lay a hand on her again.

But she still had to live in that house, relying on them for food and shelter. The abuse didn't stop-it just took different forms. She was always hungry, always cold, never given decent clothes or a proper place to sleep.

And her adoptive father, the man who had brought her into that family, never once stepped in. He never defended her.

Kathryn hated him the most.

sent to prison, he later died of

knew the truth-her biological

pity. If anything, she thought

her adoptive mother and

to drain

gave them

time she reunited with the Farrells, she had already built a successful business and was worth

kept it a secret from her adoptive family. She

tormented her for years-why should

She wasn't a saint.

aching. "Miss, none of that will ever happen again." Then he stood up, grabbed some ice, and carefully pressed it against her

swelling has gone down a lot,"

had been beaten,

of Pedro tending to her with ice packs, the redness

doesn't like cold winters. How about Wiltspoon? Or Annenburg? It doesn't get too

hot, we can turn on the

she had endured as a child, but

used to suffer from

that she finally had

got